7 March 2022: Why an Indonesian tech unicorn is coming to Australia

The Indonesian tech giant Bukalapak has announced that it’s creating a technology hub in Melbourne, a significant move that brings to Australia’s door some of the most dynamic trends around innovation and  scale in the Asia region.

Most Australians will have never heard of this company; here’s some useful information.

• Initially set up to help the ‘mum and dad’ shops sell their goods it now has 104.9 million registered users
• Raised $US1.5 billion in its 2021 IPO, the largest initial offering on Indonesia’s stock exchange
• Investors include Microsoft, UBS Group and the Singaporean sovereign wealth fund GIC

In this webinar, co-hosted by Bukalapak, the Indonesia Australia Business Council, Global Victoria & Victorian Government Trade and Investment South East Asia, we will meet new Bukalapak CEO Willix Halim, an Indonesian citizen who  studied in Melbourne and manages first-hand the tech talent crunch.

Translated as “opening a stall”, Bukalapak will develop the new  technology hub in conjunction with the Victorian government to expand  its international footprint and explore partnership opportunities with  world-class universities.

Speakers include: 

• Opening remarks: George Iwan Marantika, Indonesia Australia Business Council
• Moderator: Helen Brown, The Australia-Indonesia Centre
• Panelist: Willix Halim, Bukalapak
• Panelist: Rebecca Hall, Victorian Government
• Panelist: Kendall Draper, Australian Government Department of Home Affairs
• Closing remarks: Dr Eugene Sebastian, The Australia-Indonesia Centre